This invention concerns handling of sheet metal pieces incidental to loading and unloading of the pieces into and out of a die cutting press. There has heretofore been developed a steel rule die cutting technique for cutting out blanks from steel sheet material for subsequent forming from the blanks of auto body parts such as fenders, doors, etc.
Steel rule dies have significant advantages over machined or forged dies since they may be made at greatly lower cost and allow changes and corrections to be easily made. The trend to lower volume production runs has increased the use of steel rule dies in the production of blanks.
The forming of auto body parts requires a mar free surface of the sheet steel blank, as scratches seriously affect the appearance of the finished part, and require it to be scrapped.
There has existed a need for a low cost automated part handling process and system for use with steel rule die cutting of sheet metal blanks which would avoid marring the surface of the blanks.